


You Will be Kissed Again

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU-No Voldemort, Animagus Regulus, Anniversaries, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Marriage Proposal, cooking disasters, established relationships - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:16:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7249822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James is in love with Regulus Black.  That's no secret.  It's been six years and he has plans to surprise his lover.  Only he comes home to a small disaster and when he realises none of that matters, he's damn sure this is forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Will be Kissed Again

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is dedicated to Jprongsx and deducing-nerds for their Jegulus prompts (which I mashed up the two) and for follow-the-bvtterflies for making me think about cute lil angimagus fox floofy Regulus.

“Oh he’s going to love this. Thank you,” James said, leaning in to kiss Lily’s cheek, then after ignoring Marlene’s glower, kissing her cheek as well. He didn’t miss the slight quirk up of her lips, but was pragmatic enough to allow her the ages-old, feigned bitterness that he had once fancied Lily. “What are you two doing this weekend?”

“Not much,” Lily said, gripping Marlene tighter about the waist. “Lazy weekend in. And you two? Big anniversary plans?”

“Well no,” James said, ruffling his hair. “Regs said he had a surprise for me, which is why I was out running all these errands. I’m going to pick up some B’stilla from Andi’s, then hop the tube home. Should give him enough time.”

Marlene snorted a laugh. “He must really be worth it, doing things the muggle way.”

James shrugged. “Is what it is, right? Wouldn’t you do the same?”

Marlene hummed as she glanced at Lily, a soft smile on her lips. “Hmm. Are you worth me trying to work out the tube?”

“Not worth the bail money I’d have to part with when you lost it and hexed some muggle, landing you first in muggle jail, then in wizard. So no. I’m not worth it.”

Marlene laughed and James rolled his eyes. “You two are…something else. Anyway, have a nice evening. See you later. Keep me posted on medi-witch updates.”

Lily rubbed her belly only just starting to swell. “You know it.”

James tucked the sweet under his arm, and exited Lily’s bakery. The paper sack crinkled in a pleasant way, and he half wondered if he should swing by and pay Remus and Sirius a visit, but he didn’t think Regulus would need too much time to sort out whatever surprise it was. Not to mention James was feeling a bit nervous about whatever it was he had going on.

The last time Regulus tried to plan anything, it was to do some ridiculous thing he’d seen on telly with candles, and nearly set the drapes on fire. James had come in just in time to cast several Aguamenti, and it left them curtain shopping the next weekend.

He still teased his lover about it, though not much only because it was endearing. Then again, James seemed to find literally anything Regulus did endearing. Hell, even at Hogwarts when he was snatching the snitch right from under James’ nose, it was endearing. In an infuriating way, but still…

The first time Regulus had caught the snitch before the Gryffindor Seeker could, which was literally under James’ nose—he’d had the quaffle and was going in for their seventieth goal—James had followed him into the locker rooms to gloat. Gryffindor had managed a win, in spite of not getting the snitch. Regulus’ eyes were narrow and hard and he was spitting insults about James, about Sirius, about blood traitors.

Then James had reached out, not even really thinking about it, and brushed a lock of hair which had fallen into Regulus’ eyes. The sixth year seeker sucked in his breath, and James had taken a step forward. After that, things got a bit fuzzy. All he knew was within seconds Regulus was crowded up against the tile wall, James had one knee between Regulus’, hands on the seekers’ face, and they were kissing.

And it was only the arrival of Remus trying to find where James had got to, which broke them apart.

Remus was kind enough not to mention it to Sirius until James had properly buttered him up. And even then it was tense until Regulus had made amends with Sirius. After that, they were all too deliriously happy to really hate too much.

James slipped inside Andi’s, grinning at her as she waved a sack of food in his direction. Pulling out the muggle note’s he’d gotten for this trip, he pushed them toward her. “Alright?”

She smiled, slipping them into the cash drawer. “Doing very well. How’s that cousin of mine?”

“Which?”

“Both, I suppose,” she said.

James laughed. “Sirius is…well. Sirius. Nothing new there. Still on about his bike. He got a ministry warning last week about the charms he was using. Not that it stopped him. I think Moony had to tighten the leash a bit.”

Andi laughed. “Too much information.”

“Sorry,” James said with a smirk. “And Regulus is the same. Just got promoted, but I think you knew that.”

“I did,” she said, a faint hint of pride in her tone. “Good on him. Tell him I said hello, will you. And Happy Anniversary.”

“I will.” James leant in to kiss her cheek. “And hi to Ted and Nym from us.”

“Will do, love.” She shoo’d him out of the shop after that, and James had a slight bounce in his step and a little whistle as he made his way for the tube.

Remus, of course, had helped James work out all the lovely muggle things in London, and now he rather enjoyed doing things without magic. Like travelling from place to place. Like shopping—which he’d bought a few baby things for their place to keep after the baby was born. He enjoyed surprising Regulus with food—things they’d both fallen in love with, and new things James wanted to try.

And especially picking out what he was carrying in his pocket. A simple, elegant ring tucked into a small box. He’d enhanced it, of course. Just a light protection charm he’d learnt from his parents that would deflect minor hexes, and it would alert James if anything happened to Regulus.

More importantly, though, were the words he wanted to use when presenting the ring to his lover. Because they’d been together six years now, and he felt like it was time. He loved Regulus, more than he had ever loved anyone ever, and he wanted to make it official, to declare in front of friends and family that this was forever.

He got shivers thinking of it, and a slight twist of his gut because although he was certain Regulus felt the same, they’d never discussed it. And what if…what if he said no? What if it was…

He stopped himself. He refused to get worked up over this. He loved Regulus, and Regulus loved him, and that’s what mattered.

He finally reached his stop, and shoulder-to-shoulder, filed out to the streets with the rest of the muggles. Ducking behind a dustbin in the alley, James closed his eyes, gripped his wand, and Apparated to Godric’s Hollow.

Landing on the front stoop, just beyond the anti-muggle wards, he froze. There was a funny sort of wailing nose, and the smell of something horrid. Something burnt. Like…smoke.

Nearly dropping everything, James rushed into the cottage and found the lounge and kitchen full of thick smoke. He used his wand to flick open all the windows and doors, and hurried to the smoke alarm, sending a slight breeze of wind past it until the smoke cleared and the wailing stopped.

Turning to his left, he saw the oven door half-open, the remnants of…well…something sat at the bottom. It was a charred, smouldering mess, and James sighed. He flicked off the dial, then levitated the pan outside to the garden, and sent a wave of water to extinguish any burning embers left.

Regulus had…tried to cook? Regulus? Regulus Black tried to use the oven in the kitchen which was muggle?

James almost laughed, but he realised in all the chaos, Regulus was nowhere to be found. James took the stairs two-by-two, banishing any left-over smoke with his wand, and pushed their bedroom door open. In the middle of the bed sat two duvets, both of their down-filled ones, and they were curled round a small figure. When James cleared his throat, a soft, pointed nose of a fox poked out. Followed by fluffy tufts on the cheeks, and then two pointed ears.

James sighed and lowered himself to the bed as the little fox let out a small whinge. James’ fingers dug into the soft fur. “So you burnt something. It’s not a big deal.”

The fox huffed in a very not-fox-like manner.

“You tried something new, and it didn’t work out. It’s not a big deal. I cleared it up already, and I actually brought you home dinner to surprise you, you ridiculous man.”

The fox’s tongue darted out to lick at James’ arm, but still didn’t back.

James huffed and scritched the back of the fox’s neck in the way James knew he liked best. “It’s our anniversary, and I am not spending it with a fox, Reggie. Change back.”

There was a long pause, then a faint pop, and curled up in the blanket, only nose and eyes showing from the cocoon, was Regulus. “I burnt the roast.”

“I saw,” James said, the faintest smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I brought you home B’stilla, and some cake from Lily’s.”

Regulus’ eyes brightened, and when James reached for the edges of the duvets, he relinquished his hold on them. Instead of pulling Regulus out, however, James situated himself inside the blanket burrito, and the pair fell against the pillows.

“I just…wanted to do something special.”

“You did. Turning a roast into charred embers and filling the entire house with smoke without drawing muggle attention is definitely something special,” James said, then laughed quietly when Regulus smacked his arm. With a sigh, James curled his hand round Regulus’ hip, and kissed the tip of his nose. Regulus huffed, dragging the blankets all the way over their heads, and James stared at him in the dark. “Everything you do is special to me. Even when it’s a bloody disaster. It’s the thought that counts.”

“You didn’t burn anything,” Regulus pointed out petulantly.

“Yes, because I’m fairly pants in the kitchen, and so I trusted you wonderful cousin to do the cooking for us. And it’s your favourite.”

Regulus let out a tiny sigh, then let himself nuzzle forward until he was fully encompassed by James’ arms. He pushed his face into the crook of James’ neck, and breathed him in. “I didn’t get you anything else,” he said, slightly miserable. “I…I didn’t have time to shop and I panicked and thought, well if I could do a nice dinner for you, then that would be…something.”

James sighed, dragging one hand through Regulus’ hair a few times before pulling back and cupping his cheek. “I know it’s sounds trite, but I mean this. Coming home to you every day, waking up to you every morning, getting to hold you and kiss you any time I want—that’s all the gift I need. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I love you, you great prat. The very fact we’re having another anniversary is all I could ever ask for.”

Regulus sighed, then turned his face up for a slow, careful kiss. “I love you. And you don’t get to kiss me whenever you want.”

James snorted, pushing his nose against Regulus’ cheek. “True. You don’t let me kiss you when you’re pissed off.”

“Or when I’m trying to sleep,” he said, turning his nose up a bit.

James smirked, then ran the pad of his thumb along Regulus’ bottom lip, making him shudder a little. “True. I get denied then.” He leant in, letting his lips brush across Regulus’ as he spoke again. “But at least you make up for it later.”

Regulus let out a groan, then surged up and kissed James, mouth open, tongues sliding together soft and warm and wonderful. James hummed happily as the kiss deepened, his hands fisting lightly in Regulus’ hair, keeping his head steady so the kiss could be drawn out, and out, and out.

When they finally broke apart, James finished it off with several small, smacking kisses across Regulus’ lips and cheeks, then dragged himself away. His cheeks were dark with a flush, and his eyes half-lidded. “I love you,” Regulus murmured, looking much the same as his boyfriend.

James grinned. “I know you do. Come on. Let’s go eat some of this food before it’s cold. You know warming charms are rubbish with your cousin’s food.”

Regulus let James draw him from the covers, and down the stairs where it no longer smelt of viciously burnt roast. James levitated the food and sweets to the lounge where they curled up on the sofa, and used their fingers to feed themselves and each other.

The telly was on, some cooking programme that neither of them were paying attention to. It was quiet between them. A sort of soft, gentle moment that James treasured. He played with Regulus’ fingers as they finished off the cake, and then he knew it was time.

This was the moment.

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to do something grand—fireworks from his wand. Spell something in the stars. Or if he wanted to get down on one knee and make his grand speech.

But when he looked at Regulus, he knew none of that was the way it should be. No. He had to do this their way.

Pulling the ring from his pocket, he took Regulus’ hand in his, and pressed the box to the centre of his palm. “I love you. More than I have ever loved anyone. And I think we ought to get married.”

Regulus’ eyes widened as he used his thumb to flick the top off. The ring itself might be considered plain by someone else’s standards but for Regulus, it was perfect. Regulus, who hated things that drew attention to him, who didn’t want anything flashy or gaudy. He always saw the simplistic beauty in all things, and it was one of the things James loved most about him.

James swallowed thickly. “I don’t care if we never do it, or if it’s ten years from now, or tomorrow. Or hell, tonight. I just, I need you to know that I’m in this forever. That it’s always been you, and that no matter what happens, I’m not letting this go.”

Regulus dragged a finger along the smooth band, then looked up at James with bright eyes. “I suppose you’ve left me no choice, Potter. Putting me on the spot like this.”

James knew it was a very Regulus thing to say, that even the look on his face told James all he needed to know. And yet the anxiety crept in and his hands began to shake a little. “So you…”

“You’re an idiot,” Regulus muttered. He set the ring aside, then with a firm, almost violent grip on James’ collar, dragged him in to snog him senseless. When they pulled apart, Regulus was breathing a bit ragged and maybe—just maybe—there was a little wetness at the corners of his eyes. He took a breath, and cupped James’ cheek with his free hand. “I never want to spend a single second away from you. And that can’t happen, obviously, but I’ll take what I can get. I want to marry you. I do.”

James couldn’t help the grin from spreading across his face as he took Regulus into his arms. He plucked the ring from the box, and as he slid it onto his lover’s hand, he felt something in his chest. It was a heavy weight, but one of the most pleasant he’d ever experienced before in his life, and he turned his face to kiss him, their fingers twisting together.

“You’re my whole world. We’re going to help raise a baby together, and you’re going to be a brilliant father,” James said, dragging his fingers through Regulus’ hair. “I love every single thing about you—even the things that drive me mad.”

Regulus grinned, pressing his forehead against James’. “Then I guess we’d better do this, huh? You and me?”

James chuckled, and pressed a kiss to the corner of Regulus’ mouth. “Yeah. I like the sound of that. You and me.”


End file.
